British Queen's Coronation Dress To Be Exhibited

The magnificent Coronation Dress of the English Queen will be displayed at the exhibition Ceremony And Celebration: Coronation Day 1953 that will take place in State Rooms of the Buckingham Palace from August 1st to September 28th.

The dress of white satin, adorned with crystal, diamond, opal amethyst beads, embroidered in gold and silver thread was created by the royal couturier Norman Hartnell in the autumn of 1952. It took the designer 3,500 hours to complete the dress.

The future knight of the British empire was inspired by coronation portraits of Elizabeth I, Queen Anna and especially Queen Victoria. Originally, the artist wanted to make a white satin dress adorned with oak leaves embroidery in gold thread - the emblem of England. When 27-year-old Elizabeth saw the design, she said that she was going to rule not only England, but also Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. That was a good reason, so Hartnell had to start his work all over again. Only the ninth sketch was approved by the future queen of England.

The dress is decorated with floral emblems of the United Kingdom - the Tudor rose, the Scottish thistle, the Irish clover and the Welsh leek. There is also a four-leaf clover on the dress - The Queen could touch it with her left hand, while greeting her nationals with the right hand. Twelve seamstresses of the Royal School of Needlework helped the designer to realize his conception.

Before the exhibition, the dress was subjected to a slight restoration for the first time in ten years. Restorer Janet Woods says that the dress is in a wonderful condition, one has to pull some beads and threads tight.

The exhibition will also display the entire Coronation frieze by Feliks Topolski and the Robe of Estate of English purple silk-velvet, worn by The Queen when leaving Westminster Abbey after the Coronation

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